You’ve probably heard about this surprise Indie hit of 2023, along with multiple recommendations from friends or family members. I’m feeling brave today, so I will share with you my honest thoughts about Theo of Golden.
The primary story line concerns an elderly gentleman who arrives to Golden, Georgia, and spreads kindness through the town by buying portraits and bestowing them to the subjects.
I love stories that feature this trope; newcomer comes to small town and changes people for the better. I mean, what doesn’t feel good about that? Theo is an inspiring character for all of us. Also, there are mini-stories of each character, tackling grief, mental illness, strained family relationships, and homelessness. Stories nested within stories.
However, the pace is slow. It meanders and languishes in expansive descriptions that do not add to the plot or character development. The opening pages aren’t an effective hook, so I had to restart the novel several times before settling in for the long haul.
As the story unfolded, it developed into a Christian parable, which surprised me. It addresses the different characters’ situations in a predictable way, but some of the uncomfortable realities of faith-based behavior is not addressed at all. For example, the church’s stance on LGBTQ+ persons, the rise of Christian Nationalism, or the patriarchal mode of power. The main character’s belief system was not challenged in any meaningful way. I almost felt like I was listening to a church story.
If you suffer from religious trauma or have an alternate belief system, this may not be the book for you. The fact that all of these issues are handled conveniently by religion may bristle against your lived experience. It did mine.
But even with this streak of religious bias, I enjoyed the simple story of a kind and generous man who influences the lives of the citizens in a quiet Southern town. It reads like a slow, bouncing brook in a meadow, gently wandering into and out of each character’s history. The ending was satisfying.